Reno Aces 17, Chihuahuas 4
Key Statistics: CF Clay Dungan 2-for-5, 2 R, HR (6, 7), 3 RBI; SS Mason McCoy 2-for-4, R, HR (5), BB, RBI; RF Forrest Wall 1-for-3, R, BB; RHP Matt Waldron 2.2 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 2 K; RHP Francis Pena IP, H, BB; RHP Alek Jacob 0.0 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, BB
Prospect Watch: John Conniff covered a rough night for El Paso in the Sun City.
Missions 2, Frisco RoughRiders 1
Key Statistics: C Brandon Valenzuela 1-for-3, R, HR (10), 2 RBI; 2B Anthony Vilar 1-for-3; LF Kai Murphy 1-for-3, R; RHP Henry Baez (W, 2-2) 5.2 IP, 2 H, BB, 10 K; RHP Tyson Neighbors IP, 3 K; RHP Manuel Castro (S, 10) IP, H, 2 K
Prospect Watch: Clark Fahrenthold was in San Antonio for on-site coverage of the Missions’ win to move back into first place.
TinCaps 3, Dayton Dragons 2
Key Statistics: CF Kai Roberts 1-for-4, R, HR (1), RBI; 3B Rosman Verdugo 1-for-1, R, HR (10), RBI, 3 BB, SB (3); 1B Ethan Long 2-for-3, R, 2B, HR (5), RBI; RHP Isaiah Lowe (W, 2-6) 6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K; LHP Harry Gustin 2 IP, H, BB, 4 K; RHP Garrett Hawkins (S, 3) IP, K
Isaiah Lowe found his footing and delivered a strong performance on Friday. (Photo: Jeff Nycz)
Prospect Watch: After winning in a blowout on Thursday, the TinCaps rode three solo homers to a one-run victory on the road Friday. … Rosman Verdugo reached base in all four of his plate appearances, walking three times and connecting on his team-leading 10th homer of the season. Verdugo’s blast tied the career-high he set last year between Lake Elsinore and Fort Wayne. The 20-year-old infielder has been an on-base machine in June, drawing 17 walks in 65 plate appearances. Overall, Verdugo is hitting .217/.446/.457 this month. He’s dropped his strikeout rate to 27.7% this month. While he needs to continue to improve his contact rate, that’s down from a rate of over 35% through the first two months. … After struggling the first two months of the season, 24-year-old Ethan Long has found his power stroke in June. The former ASU star had two hits – a double and his fifth homer of the year. Long hit just two in April and May combined, but he already has three homers this month. In nine games this month, Long has a .906 OPS. … Kai Roberts hit his first High-A homer of the year to round out the offense. The former Utah Ute had an .884 OPS in his pro debut with the Storm last summer, but thus far in Fort Wayne, the 24-year-old has struggled to make contact. In 23 games with the TinCaps, Roberts has punched out 34 times, resulting in an ugly .220/.323/.268 slash-line in his first trip through the Midwest League. … Isaiah Lowe turned in his best start of the season, pitching a season-high six innings to earn his second victory. Lowe scattered seven hits, walking two and striking out three. The 22-year-old had a nightmare April, pitching to a 13.50 ERA, including a pair of starts when he failed to get out of the first inning. Over his last two starts, Lowe has pitched 11 innings and allowed three earned runs. … Garrett Hawkins pitched a spotless ninth to earn his third save of the season. Hawkins recorded one strikeout, as he continues evolving into a reliever with late-inning potential. Coming in 2025, Hawkins pitched in just four games in the previous two seasons, thanks to Tommy John surgery. The Canadian right-hander has not allowed a run in 14 outings since April 23, allowing just four walks and 22 strikeouts in 16.1 innings in that span. Overall, Midwest League hitters are batting just .134 against him.
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 10, Storm 7
Key Statistics: 3B Zach Evans 1-for-5, R, HR (2), 2 RBI; DH Kavares Tears 2-for-4, 2 R, 2B, BB, RBI; C Lamar King Jr. 2-for-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI; 2B Yimy Tovar 3-for-4, 2 2B, RBI; RHP Kleiber Olmedo 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, K; LHP Ruben Salinas (L, 0-3) 2 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 2 K; RHP Bernard Jose 3 IP, 2 H, BB, 5 K
Yimi Tovar impressed in the desert before his promotion. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
Prospect Watch: The Storm offense had four extra-base hits and scored seven runs, but the Quakes offense jumped all over the Storm pitching staff early to earn the win in Rancho. … Second baseman Yimy Tovar had three hits, including his first two Single-A doubles. The 19-year-old infielder played well in the ACL this year, hitting .305/.354/.398, earning a promotion last week. Since joining the Lake Elsinore roster, Tovar is 5-for-12. … Lamar King Jr. had a pair of doubles, giving him 16 this season, tying him for the league lead. The 21-year-old catcher has been fantastic in June, hitting .347/.458/.490 with nine walks and just five strikeouts. … Zach Evans only had one hit Friday, but it left the yard. The homer was Evans’ second this season. The former ninth-rounder ranks fifth in the Cal League with 45 RBI and has a .754 OPS. … After Kleiber Olmedo and Ruben Salinas struggled early, righty Bernard Jose tossed three scoreless innings to keep the game in check. He allowed two hits, walking one and striking out five. The 22-year-old has been a valuable multi-inning reliever for the Storm this season. Jose has not allowed a run in 13 of his 21 appearances on the year.
ACL Giants 10, ACL Padres 8
Key Statistics: 2B Luis De Leon 2-for-4, R, BB; DH Kale Fountain 2-for-4, 2 R, RBI; 1B Albert Fabian 3-for-5, 2 R, HR (1), RBI; SS Jose Sanabria 2-for-4, R, BB, RBI; LF Emil Turbi 2-for-5, R; RHP J.B. Wendelken 2 IP, 3 H, ER, BB, 2 K; RHP Carson Swilling IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 K; RHP Luis Maracara (L, 2-3) 2.1 IP, 2 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Luis De Leon continues to rack up the hits in the desert. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
Prospect Watch: Despite pounding out 13 hits, the ACL Padres couldn’t hold on for a victory as the pitching staff failed to keep the ACL Giants offense at bay. The loss dropped the Padres to 10-26. … Albert Fabian had three more hits, including a homer, as he continued his rehab assignment. The 23-year-old played in just 27 games last season before suffering a severe leg injury while playing in the outfield. Fabian is hitting .342/.405/.474 in 10 games during his rehab stint, as he nears going out to a full-season affiliate. … Switch-hitting infielder Luis De Leon had a pair of hits and drew a walk in five plate appearances. De Leon has been excellent in the ACL, despite showing a lack of pop. In 31 games, he has just four extra-base hits. Overall, he is hitting .314/.409/.373 in the Arizona Complex League (ACL) this year. … Kale Fountain had two more hits – both singles. The 19-year-old has slowly worked his way back into the field in the last few weeks, as he inches closer to heading to Lake Elsinore. In 20 games, Fountain has an .885 OPS. … J.B. Wendelken made another rehab appearance, pitching two innings. He allowed a run on three hits, walking one and striking out two. The 32-year-old has made four rehab appearances in the ACL and is expected to provide El Paso with an experienced arm shortly. … Righty Carson Swilling made a rehab appearance, allowing two runs on three hits in an inning. He struck out a pair. The 23-year-old former undrafted free agent out of South Alabama made five relief appearances with the Storm this season before hitting the injured list on April 23.
